The Wife of a Lesser Man (LA Cops Series Book 1) (22 page)

“I left you several clues to help you find me, but you never found any of them.  Well, at least
you
didn’t find them.”  He laughed and paused, waiting for Mark to respond.

“It’s very frustrating when
I
have to come find
you
.”  Matt pointed the barrel slightly towards himself when he said “I” and then towards Mark when he said “you”.

“You’re not as slick as you were in the old days, are you?” 

“You mean back in the James Gruber days?”

Matt continued, “Those were your all star days, weren’t they?”

Mark ignored the question.  “What were you doing at the wake today, Mr. Hatcher?”

Matt’s face brightened.  “Ah, so you saw me there, did you?  I was hoping you would.  I was there to see your lovely wife, of course.” 

“Or to make sure our house was empty so you could break in.” 

Matt smiled.  “I like to leave gifts.”

Richard intervened. “I suppose it’s better for you when the bullet actually fires though, right?”

“Everything in good time,”

“I like to give gifts first and then take them all back, including the bullet.  That’s my little souvenir.  However, your wife, Chief, wouldn’t let me give her any gifts.”

Shelley’s eyes filled with anger.  “Oh, but you did let me give you a couple of little gifts, didn’t you Shelley?”  Matt winked slyly at her. 

“What else did you want to give her?  You seem to have a thing for women’s jewellery.”  Mark said.

“Did you like the bracelet?”  Matt asked, as though Mark would offer commentary.

“I bet Karen Reed and Jacqueline Kent did.  Are there any others you took jewelry from after they were dead?”  Richard said under his breath.

“Oh yes.  But they offered me nothing in return.  They didn’t deserve to keep their jewelry.” 

Richard shook his head.

“What do you want Hatcher?”  Mark asked.

Matt smiled.  “Tell me.  Chief.  Do you…shall we say….
appreciate
your wife?”  Matt motioned to Shelley to come to him. 

“Come here or the blonde will spontaneously
become
a redhead,” 

Mark gently motioned Shelley to do as Matt asked.

Matt eyed her up and down. “A woman like this…is simply….delicious.”  Matt eyed her up and down.  As Shelley approached, Matt quickly let go of Lisa and grabbed Shelley.  She screamed as the gun barrel pressed into her cheek. 

“Oh calm down, my sweet Shelley,” Matt said, seductively pulling the edge of the barrel down her neck.  He had pressed himself up against her back and she could feel his hardness.  The bile in the back of her throat began to climb in her mouth. 

Lisa stood beside Matt and eyed Richard and Mark.  She hoped they could create a diversion.  Her eyes kept going to her desk and back, hoping Richard would catch on. 

“We haven’t got much time my Shelley,” Matt said, inching his way to the door with Shelley’s face pressed into his neck.

Matt pointed the barrel at Mark and Richard.  “Both of you.  Away from the door.” 

Lisa watched as the barrel of Mark’s gun swept towards Mark and Richard.  Seeing her chance, she lunged toward her desk in a life or death bid for her own gun. 

But Matt was too fast.  There was a terrifying roar as his gun discharged and the room filled with a flash of yellow light and acrid gun smoke.  The bullet caught Lisa in the chest, and she fell to the ground with a whimper and a dull thud.  Richard cried out, enraged at the thought that she was hurt.

Furious and horrified, Shelley turned, took a bite out of Matt’s ear and jumped out of the way.  Richard, being closest to Shelley, grabbed hold of her and they both plummeted to the floor. 

Mark drew his gun and watched as Shelley and Richard fell clear.  His gun slid from its holster with practiced speed, but would it be fast enough?

In a moment he was looking down the barrel, watching as his gun sight took what seemed like hours to settle on Matt’s chest.  All the while the barrel of Matt’s gun was slowly pointing towards the floor, towards two of the most important people in Mark’s life.

Mark’s heart pounded in his ears and he feared it may explode in his chest.  He prayed he would live just one more heartbeat, and then it wouldn’t matter.   One more heartbeat and he would send Matt straight to Hell where he belonged.

Mark’s shot was fired and the bullet hit Matt straight in the chest; he fell straight back.

Shelley let out a scream when she saw all the blood pooling on the floor.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.  He’s dead,” Richard said.

Mark hurried over to where Matt’s body lay, kicked the gun clear of Matt’s hand and checked his pulse.  He looked up at Richard and nodded.

Richard looked over at Lisa, lying under her desk.  “Are you okay?”

Mark ran over to her.  “Yeah, yeah……Son of a bitch!”  Lisa yelled, opening her shirt to reveal her bullet proof vest with a noticeable blemish.

Richard guffawed.  “That’s not the reaction I expected to hear.” 

“Easy for you to say……God …..dammit!” 

Mark dispatched an ambulance and called off the search party.  Shelley helped Lisa to her chair.  

“Are you okay?”  Mark asked, rejoining them.

“Don’t worry, I can still work.”  she answered facetiously.

“No, I think we’re all taking a vacation.”  he said, putting his arms around Shelley. 

The paramedics arrived and took care of Matt’s body, peppering Mark with questions.  Peggy Beck arrived and did a report live from the station; she would be getting the coveted promotion after her coverage, which pleased Mark.  As Peggy was just wrapping up her last interview, Lipkus pulled up with a sour look on his face. 

Peggy stuck the microphone in his face and said, “Sergeant Lipkus, do you have anything to add to this investigation?”

“I’m glad our murderer was caught and the case will now be brought to close.”  Lipkus’s face turned pink.

Peggy nodded and the camera turned off.  When he walked away she said under her breath, “You know he’s dead, right?” 

…

Mark and Shelley got out of the car; they both carried a bouquet of flowers.  Shelley’s were pink roses and Mark’s were white carnations. 

“Do you think you would have handled things differently?”  Shelley asked.

“How do you mean?”

“Well, if you’d known Charlie was in real trouble.” 

Mark placed the bouquet on Charlie’s grave and stood back a moment before answering.  While Shelley waited for his response, she placed her bouquet on Madeline’s grave.  She took her place beside Mark and he took her hand in his.  He answered softly, “I think if I were ever to lose you, there’s no place I’d rather be.”

Read
more
about Police Chief Mark Tame…

Find out what happens when Police Chief Mark Tame’s youngest daughter Jessica gets kidnapped in
LA Cops Series Book Two
titled
Don’t Mess with Daddy’s Girl
. 

Don’t Mess with Daddy’s Girl

A serial killer, a stock broker, and a police chief’s daughter clash in this mysterious tale of greed and love.

Michael is forced to choose between his most precious asset and the love of his life, when a serial killer tries to take what matters most to him.

Police chief Mark Tame and his team hunt for clues with Michael’s help, when they realize that the killer is linked to Michael. Jessica has the love and protection of both men, but will that be enough to keep her safe?

Read it here.

The Wheels of Change

Simon Cross is a type-A personality advertising executive who has a penchant for sleeping with married women. When one lover’s husband learns of the affairs, Simon finds himself at the mercy of a madman.

The advertising executive develops a very different view of life and the people around him, but not before things are radically changed in ways he never dreamed possible.

As Simon’s world is turned upside-down, police are hunting for a murderer. Soon afterward, Simon is paid an unwelcome visit by the killer. The maniac demands Simon do the one thing he can’t do…or die.

Read it here.

Excerpt from Don’t Mess with Daddy’s Girl

Prologue

“WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME!” she shouted.  Her fists were clenched and her chest bent forward.

“Just relax.” he said, removing the backward ski mask from her face with a thrust.  Her hair stuck to the mask with mid-winter static cling. 

“What am I supposed to do?  Sit here and piss myself?” she spat. 

“If you need to relieve yourself, just ask.” 

“Fuck you!” she yelled as he tossed the handcuff keys on the dresser.

The bed that her handcuffs were attached to was made of brass, layered with a king sized mattress and box spring.

He stood at the dresser and wrote something down on a piece of paper.  Then he took the wooden chair beside the bed and sat about three feet from her.

“Tell me what you know about Saigon.” 

He stared at the paper with the pen in his hand and looked at her after a few seconds.

She looked at him and furrowed her brows.

“Saigon?  What’s there to know?  It’s a stupid stock, that’s all.  Is that why I’m here?” 

He inhaled deeply and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, squeezing slightly and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Don’t play the fool with me.” he warned, removing his hand from his face. 

His cheeks reddened.  There was a bead of sweat on his forehead, just below his almost non-existent hairline.  Dark brown hair lay interspersed on his crown, slicked back.  His slim body sat relaxed in the chair, but his face registered anxiety.

“I’m not playing anything!” she insisted, “Why don’t you ask Michael?  He’s supposed to be your friend, isn’t he?  Although after this I’m sure that will change!” she said, whipping her head at him.

“You’ve got some nerve!  Michael trusted you!” she seethed, tears forming in her eyes. 

“Don’t worry; he’s got nerve too.” he said, rising from the chair.

“You’re such an asshole!” she screamed, kicking the leg of the bed.

He pursed his lips.  “I’m so sorry about all this.” 

She looked at him through tears, her eyes dark with anger. “Yeah.  Well, you’ll
be
sorry.  Have you
met
my father?” 

He looked at the floor and walked to the dresser.  There was a brass bell on top of a white doily.  He picked it up and placed it on the bed within her reach.

“If you need anything, just ring it.  I’ll be outside.” he said, nodding towards the door. 

He closed the door behind him.  She kicked the leg of the bed harder, “You SON OF A BITCH!!!” 

Chapter 1